NASHVILLE BOUND – WEEK 6!

Well, the time has come! We’re all done with our MTC training! I am currently sending this email out at 3am because I have to be at the airport in an hour. May or may not have pulled an all-nighter. I’ll be arriving in Tennessee around 4:15pm CST after a 4 hour layover in Seattle. Ahhh I’m so excited! Once I’ve finished the work my Heavenly Father has planned for me in Nashville and when the time is right, I’ll hopefully be on my way to Costa Rica. I remember not too long ago, we all talked about how we couldn’t wait to get out into the field. Now we’re all going our separate ways! District 5B is the best district ever. As they all say, “¡Que bueno!” Voy a extrañar a todos los misioneros.

Some highlights from my last week at home: Melanie, my dad, and I finished putting together the greatest puzzle ever. See the pictures below for the finished product. I’ve been spending as much time with the doggos as possible before I have to leave them for 18 months. Gonna miss them :(( We witnessed the effects of a crazy wind storm. All the construction supplies from the elementary school being built behind our house were blown into our backyard and our neighbor’s trampoline blew over their fence (lol). Ate some fantastic sushi / the greatest food ever. Got to attend my home ward one last time! We timed my dad to see how fast he could finish a cob of corn. It was record breaking speed. Bought a ton more journals since I’ve already filled up more than half of the first one I got for my mission. Apparently I write too much. I had the opportunity to re-listen to all the sessions of the October 2020 general conference. If you haven’t done this, I highly recommend it! It is such a blessing that we get to hear the words of our prophet and apostles! Finally, I said goodbye to my mom’s house which I’ve lived in my whole life. She and my step dad Marc will be selling it once they come back from living in Hawaii.

As I look back on the last 6 weeks, all I can say is I’m beyond thankful. I’m thankful for each and every one of the missionaries I grew to know during my time in the MTC. I’m thankful for their Christlike examples to me. There were so many ways they answered my prayers each day just by contributing their own inspiring thoughts and experiences. I’m thankful for the beautiful testimonies each missionary shared, how much they cracked me up each and every day, and all the good memories I have from this time we spent together on zoom. I’m thankful for Hermana Green and her willingness to put up with me these last 6 weeks. I will definitely miss our companion study time, her sweet spirit, and all of our dance parties and laughs. She’s “a hoot and a half.” I could not have asked for a better companion and friend. Chile isn’t ready for you, Hermana. You’re gonna do incredible things.

Most importantly, I’m so thankful for each of our maestros Hermano Bernal, Hermano Rueda, and Hermana Suarez. They all taught us with such a strong spirit and with so much love for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Every member of my district can agree when I say we were SO blessed to have Hermana Suarez as our teacher. Her enthusiasm, the stories she shared, how she motivated us to be the best missionaries possible, and her testimony will continue to inspire me every day. Hermana Suarez wasn’t just our teacher, she was a friend who showed us how much she cared. I hope she knows how much she means to each and every one of us. Getting to meet her and spend the last 6 weeks with her was such a blessing. ¡Le amamos mucho Hermana Suarez!  

I’ve asked myself “what have I really learned during this time in the MTC?” I’ve learned a lot more Spanish than I thought was possible. I’ve learned how to be a missionary through teaching, loving, and serving others like Christ did during His life on earth. I’ve also learned how to follow the spirit so we can help others feel God’s light in the exact way they need. Above everything else, I’ve grown closer to my Savior. I’ve felt His love for me stronger than I ever have before. I’ve come to understand His Atonement more deeply, and how I can use it in my life to be better every single day. Through teaching this same principle to others, I’ve come to gain a stronger testimony that we are never alone, and our Savior Jesus Christ is with us every step of the way. The Atonement isn’t just to take away our sins, it’s also to take away our fears and our pain. He can heal us if we come unto Him.

One of my favorite videos that we watched during the last 6 weeks is titled, “Staying Spiritually Fit.” https://youtu.be/v6BP3PNQt1k A young man at the end says something that has really stuck with me. He said, “The Savior gave everything to me. He gave His life for me, and when I get back to His kingdom someday, which I hope I can, I want to be able to look Him in the eye and tell Him- ‘I gave you everything I had. I really did, just like You gave me everything You had.’” Our Savior Jesus Christ has done more for us than we could ever imagine. He died for us so we can live again. Though sinless, He suffered for our sins so we can be made clean through the power of His Atonement. Finally, He willingly experienced every pain and heartache we’ve ever experienced so He would know how to comfort us amidst our darkest hours. How can we show our gratitude to Him? Jesus tells us, “come follow me.” If we truly love Him, we will strive to know Him better each day, follow His example, and invite others to come unto Him and partake of His love.

Para terminar, quiero compartir mi testimonio. Yo sé que Dios es nuestro amoroso Padre Celestial. Él nos ama mucho, y sabemos eso porque Él envió Su Hijo amado a la tierra para salvarnos. Juan 3:16 dice “Porque de tal manera amó Dios al mundo que ha dado a Su Hijo Unigénito, para que todo aquel que en Él cree no se pierda, mas tenga vida eterna.” Me encanta esta escritura porque muestra el amor y el cuidado que nuestro Padre Celestial tiene por nosotros. Sé que cuando oramos, Él nos escucha y contesta nuestras oraciones. Estoy agradecida por la Expiación de Jesucristo y por Su sacrificio que me permite regresar a vivir con Él. Yo sé que El Libro de Mormón es verdad. Es otro testamento de Jesucristo y ha cambiado mi vida. Sé que la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días es la verdadera iglesia en la tierra y contiene la plenitud del evangelio del Salvador. Estoy muy agradecida por mi tiempo en el Centro Capacitación Misional y por todo lo que he aprendido y sentido. Estoy muy agradecida por todos los misioneros en mi distrito y por mis maestros. ¡Estoy emocionada de servir una misión para compartir la alegría de este evangelio con otras personas! ¡Los amo a todos! Gracias por todo su amor y apoyo.

To finish, I want to share my testimony. I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father. He loves us so much, and we know this because He sent His beloved Son to earth to save us. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” I love this scripture because it shows the love and care that our Heavenly Father has for us. I know that when we pray, He hears us and answers our prayers. I am grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and for His sacrifice that enables me to return to live with Him again someday. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. It is another testament of Jesus Christ and it has changed my life. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true church on the earth today, and it contains the fullness of the Savior’s gospel. I am so grateful for my time in the Missionary Training Center and for all that I’ve learned and felt. I’m grateful for all the missionaries in my district and for my teachers. I’m excited to serve a mission so I can share the joy of this gospel with others! I love you all! Thank you for all your love and support.